October 09, 2008

Navigenics joins landmark research study

Navigenics Chief Medical Officer

Posted 09:38 AM PDT

Today, Navigenics is pleased to announce our participation in a major study that will examine how people respond to personal genetic testing. Here are some details of this research endeavor, as described in a news release:

A consortium of health care, technology and research leaders have joined forces in a first-of-its-kind research study to assess the behavioral impact of personal genetic testing on people who choose to receive such screenings to identify their potential risk for developing certain diseases.

Sponsored by Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI), the study aims to find out if participating in personal genomic testing will improve health by motivating people to make positive lifestyle changes, such as exercising, eating healthy and quitting smoking, as well as decisions to seek further medical evaluation and preventive strategies. The study will offer genetic scans to up to 10,000 employees, family members and friends of the nonprofit Scripps Health system in San Diego and will assess changes in participants’ behaviors over a 20-year period.

Taking your DNA to the doctor

Elissa Levin, M.S., CGC,

Navigenics Genetic Counseling Program Director

Posted 09:55 AM PDT

Sometimes, knowing what your DNA says about your health isn’t enough – you’d like your doctor to be in the loop as well. But in the busy world of modern medicine, that kind of information sharing may not be as easy as it sounds.

Some physicians, for example, have so many medical advances to keep track of that they may not be accustomed to interpreting new types of genetic results. You and your doctor also usually don’t have as much time to talk as either of you would like. Did you know that the average medical appointment is only about seven minutes these days? That leaves little time to fit in a conversation about personal genetics results. And many people have concerns about whether they want their genetic information entered into their formal medical records.

f you’d like to talk with your physician about your genetic information, here are a few suggestions to help make that conversation more productive:

My genes need counseling?

Elissa Levin, M.S., CGC,

Navigenics Genetic Counseling Program Director

Posted 10:10 AM PDT

When people interested in Navigenics hear that genetic counseling is a core part of our service, they usually have two things to say. The first is “Great!” The second is “What do you do, exactly?”

Here is a look at who we are, and how we can help you make the most of your genetic insights.

Genetic Counselors are highly trained health professionals with specific expertise in medical genetics and counseling, but many people have never had access to us. That separation reflects the traditional role of genetic information in health care. For a long time, genetics focused mostly on either rare diseases or pregnancy. As a result, you might have been referred to a Genetic Counselor only if a rare condition ran in your family, or if you were considering a genetic test as part of having a baby.